(a) If the Commissioner of Children and Families or a child-placing agency is appointed as statutory parent for any child free for adoption, the commissioner or such agency shall not refuse to place or delay placement of such child with any prospective adoptive parent solely on the basis of a difference in race, color or national origin.

(b) The Commissioner of Children and Families or the child-placing agency, in determining placement for each child, shall focus on the particular needs of the child and the capacity of the prospective adoptive parent to meet such needs. Whenever possible, siblings should be placed with the same prospective adoptive parent unless it is determined not to be in the best interests of a sibling.

(c) The Commissioner of Children and Families shall not discriminate in preparing a home study or in placing a child with a prospective adoptive parent based on whether the prospective parent is or is not willing to become a foster parent pending an adoption placement.

(P.A. 86-330, S. 1; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; P.A. 96-130, S. 10; P.A. 99-166, S. 9; P.A. 00-137, S. 9.)

History: Sec. 45-61l transferred to Sec. 45a-726 in 1991; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner and department of children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 96-130 deleted reference to Sec. 45a-725; P.A. 99-166 divided section into subsections and amended Subsec. (a) by adding “or a child-placing agency” and provision that placement shall not be refused or delayed on the basis of difference in race, color or national origin and added Subsec. (b) re focus on particular needs of child and capacity of prospective adoptive parents to meet such needs in determination of placement and that whenever possible siblings should be placed with same prospective adoptive parents, unless not in best interest of a sibling; P.A. 00-137 added Subsec. (c) prohibiting discrimination by commissioner in preparing home study or placing child with prospective adoptive parent based on whether prospective adoptive parent is or is not willing to become foster parent pending adoption.